Johnny Bennett “Gone Missing” (www.johnny-bennett.com)

I don’t know much about Johnny Bennett except that he is an American singer songwriter whose blues edged 2^nd album “Gone Missing” was recorded in Oxfordshire and is now available from www.johnny-bennett.com.

The album itself is a mixed bag- from the soulful “Out of Nowhere”, the bluesier “The Car Is Waiting” to the sparse tracks “New War Countries” and the Black Crowes like “The Shape Of Maria” – there feels like there is too much variation in there. “Simple Sugar” has some Peter Gabriel theatrical style moments to it whilst ”I’ll Never Be This High Again” starts in a straight ahead rock fashion but then throws some Bowie like moments in there.

Nikk Gunns

Trillium “Alloy” (Frontiers)

Featuring the impressive vocals of Amanda Somerville, “Alloy” is a dark, gothic laced melodic metal album. Opening in impressive form with “Machine Gun”, the album pretty much follows a pattern. Whilst “Utter Descension” could easily be mistaken for Evanescence, on the whole this is Somerville’s album.

Other highlights include the duet “Scream It” (featuring Jorn Lande), “Purge”, “Path of Least Resistance” and the almost ballad like bonus track “Love is an Illusion”.

***

Nikk Gunns

Army Rising “Impending Chaos” (Rising Records)

“Impending Chaos” is a competent and technically sound debut album from Irish teenage metal band Army Rising.

You have to admire the bands determination, bearing in mind that there is virtually no metal scene in Ireland. Influenced by the likes of Metallica, Megadeth and Iron Maiden, you can hear that throughout the album, which has a theme of war and corruption running through it.

Tracks such as “Who I Am”, “Lost Generation”, “If You Want Peace” and “Visiona” will no doubt appeal to fans of the above bands.

Nikk Gunns

Kaideka “False Idols and Pyrite Thrones” (Rising Records)

This Cornish 5 piece describe themselves as a blend of ‘80’s Thrash (Metallica, Slayer etc) and ‘90’s Nu Metal (Korn, Slipknot et al)- if that sounds like your cup of tea then you will appreciate Kaideka’s debut album “False Idols and Pyrite Thrones”.

With over 200 live shows under their belts the band have cultivated the sound captured on the album and tracks such as “Placebos Devine”, Pride”, “Slave” and “Veins of Erath” are good examples of this.

Nikk Gunns

Skeletal Damage “Fire and Forget” (Rising Records)

Another debut album from the Rising Records roster. This time it comes from Cheshire based Skeletal Damage- a band whose sound encompasses the likes of Killswitch Engage, Pantera and Machine Head. Since releasing debut EP “A Headshot Is The Only Way”, the band have gigged solidly to build up their sound and technical proficiency.

On “Fire and Forget” that efficiency is evident and the hard work has clearly paid off. With the likes of “Beneath The Deep”, “The Deadlights” and “Where Angels Fear To Tread” sounding like a band that has been together more than the 2 years these boys have.

Nikk Gunns

Poor Genetic Material “Island Noises” (ProgRock Records)

Released back in 2011, “Island Noises” is a Prog Rock concept album based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

Featuring 14 tracks over 2 discs this is not the kind of thing that you normally come across. The experimental project was put together by Stafan Glomb (guitar) and Philipp Jaehne (keyboards) ..

Tracks such as “A Dance So Strange”, the slow and moving “Brave New World” and “Assassins and Sleepers” are listenable – and all the songs are probably an integral part to the story but unfortunately, to me, the album feels extravagant and maybe even a bit bloated- it may have served well as a single disc.

Nikk Gunns

Epigene “A Wall Street Odyssey” (www.epigenemusic.com)

Another double concept album- this one from New York’s Epigene. The band is basically husband and wife Sean Bigler and Bonnie Lykes who have written, produced and recorded this 3 part rock opera.

The packaging is impressive as the 2 discs come in a hardback book that is not short and must have cost a fair bit to put together. However, the material on the 2 discs again feels bloated and could have been cut to one disc as combined it weighs in at 112 minutes.

The story is told over 3 parts- “The City”, “The Country” and “…and Back Again”. The easiest of the 3 to listen to is “The Country” as this is more quirky and upbeat. However there are songs from all 3 which are listenable- for example “Money Master”, “The Settlement of Love”, “Sanctuary”, “Stranger In A Strange Land” and “Run”.

I don’t know how much Epigene have spent on this project but my guess is that this will not be recouped.

Johnny Foreigner “Johnny Foreigner vs Everything” (Alcopop)

The 4^th album from Birmingham trio Johnny Foreigner is, they tell us, the first they have made without a grammy-nominated producer and the backing of a corporate-funded label…and it shows. They say they have made the record exactly as it sounded in their heads yet half of the 17 tracks on “Johnny Foreigner vs Everything” are virtually unlistenable.

Tracks “If I’m the Most Famous Boy You’ve Fucked, Then Honey, You’re in Trouble”, “200X”, “Electricity Vs The Dead”, “New Street, You Can Take It” and “(Don’t) Show Us Your Fangs” are OK and should possibly be repackaged as an EP- the band then need to set about working with the calibre of producer they have in the past if they are to reach album number 5.

Nikk Gunns

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Josh Taerk Sunday Sessions 2024

Latest session: Sunday 14 April

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 7 April 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 2 April 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 15 April 2024

ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
LAUREN FREEBIRD Like A Bomb (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 15 April 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)

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